Czech Foreign Ministry urges release of Azeri national

The Czech Foreign Ministry has urged the release of an Azeri national who has been granted political asylum in the Czech Republic. Professor Sadai Nazarov, an aide to the former Azeri prime minister Sarat Huseynov, fled to the Czech Republic in the mid 1990's after the regime of president Heydar Aliyev accused Huseynov of planning a coup. He was granted political asylum three years later. Nazarov was arrested in Azerbaijan several days ago on a visit to his homeland. The Czech Foreign Ministry has called for "a humanitarian approach and a speedy resolution to the case", stressing that Nazarov is under the Czech Republic's protection.